Kerala: 'Kochi Metro rail a reality in three years'

Kannur: The Kochi Metro rail project would be completed in three years if various issues like strikes and labour problem in Kerala are avoided, principal advisor to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation E Sreedharan said on Tuesday. "The Metro rail project can be a reality within three years if various issues like strikes, shortage of sand and labour problem are avoided," Sreedharan, also the principal advisor of the Kochi project, said.

Delivering the keynote address at a function at Kannur University, he said there would not be any problem if there was "social commitment", which is of utmost importance. "Projects like Konkan railway and Delhi metro rail projects taught me this," he said. Sreedharan said the Delhi metro rail project was completed before schedule and this was not because of any one individual but due to team work.

The principal advisor to E Sreedharan said that the project can be a reality within three years if various issues are overcome.

"At present four projects, the Kochi Metro rail, Rs 3,000 crore Thiruvananthapuram monorail, Kozhikode monorail and the Thiruvanathapuram-Kasargod High speed Rail Corridor are before me," he said. The high speed rail corridor project when completed will enable one to travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod in two-and-a-half hours and Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi in 40 minutes, he said.